TPMDC
Jon Huntsman

Tomorrow's Cloture Vote Could Predict Bill's Success (Or Failure)
Roll Call reports that tomorrow's vote on cloture to proceed to debate on the health care bill could indeed be very crucial, and not simply a procedural motion. A Congressional Research Service report, requested by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), shows that on the 41 bills where such a vote has been held since 1999, the Senate ultimately passed the underlying bill in 40 of those occasions.

No Obama Events Today
President Obama does not have any scheduled public events today.

PERMALINK | COMMENTS (5) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
Topics: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Haley Barbour, Health Care, Jon Huntsman, Robert Gates, Roundup, Tom Coburn

Asia trip

WH: Obama's Internet Comments In China Most 'Direct' Human Rights Talk To Date

Christina Bellantoni | November 17, 2009, 9:23AM

President Barack Obama

White House aides traveling with President Obama on his trip abroad say his brief remarks on human rights and technology at the Shanghai town hall with Chinese students on Monday mark a key turning point in U.S.-China relations.

"I have never heard that kind of a discussion publicly in China before," Jeff Bader, senior director of the National Security Council for Asian Affairs, told reporters traveling with Obama in Beijing. "This was as direct a discussion on human rights as I've seen by any high-level visitor with the Chinese."

Bader said during private discussions with Chinese officials, Obama was "equally candid in describing human rights as a core, a fundamental, bedrock principle of U.S. foreign policy." He said Obama holds up the United Sates as an example while recognizing it remains an "unfinished project."

PERMALINK | COMMENTS (6) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
Topics: Asia trip, Barack Obama, China, Jon Huntsman, Twitter, White House

Asia trip

In China Obama Touts Freedom Through Twitter, Basketball's Yao Ming And Being The First Black President

Christina Bellantoni | November 16, 2009, 7:55AM

President Barack Obama

President Obama held up Twitter and non-censored technology as a key foundation for a free society while addressing students in China.

Speaking in Shanghai during his 8-day trip through Asia, Obama operated much like he does at his typical U.S. town hall, even going boy-girl, boy-girl as he took questions.

He opened up on winning the Nobel Prize, how he views the conflict in Afghanistan and complimented the students on their English skills.

During the town hall Ambassador Jon Huntsman read the question, submitted through the embassy: "In a country with 350 million Internet users and 60 million bloggers, do you know of the firewall? ... Should we be able to use Twitter freely?"

Obama admitted he had never actually tweeted - despite his campaign and the White House's large presence on Twitter - but said technology helps unite the world.

PERMALINK | COMMENTS (15) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
Topics: Asia trip, Barack Obama, Basketball, Jon Huntsman, POTUS loves sports, Twitter, White House

Barack Obama

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | May 16, 2009, 1:00PM

Obama Address: I'm Bringing People Together On Health Care And Energy
In this weekend's Presidential YouTube address, President Obama said he is bringing together different groups such as businesses and labor to deal with the issues of health care costs and clean energy:

"I have always believed that it is better to talk than not to talk; that it is far more productive to reach over a divide than to shake your fist across it," said Obama. "This has been an alien notion in Washington for far too long, but we are seeing that the ways of Washington are beginning to change."

GOP Address: Republicans Can Work With Obama On Health Care -- But No Public Option
In this weekend's RNC YouTube, Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) said Republicans can agree with President Obama on a lot of things regarding health care, and are prepared to work with him -- but he warned strongly against any pursuit of a public option:

"A government takeover of health care will put bureaucrats in charge of health care decisions that should be made by families and doctors," said Boustany. "It will limit treatment options and lead to rationed care. And to pay for government health care, your taxes will be raised."